Nightmare for the West coming true in Moldova

(Newser) -
A nightmare scenario for the West is coming true in a former Soviet republic, where smugglers linked to Russia have radioactive material for sale and are actively seeking Islamic extremists to buy it, according to an AP investigation. In a case in Moldova earlier this year, a smuggler called Valentin...
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NATO warns of troop buildup at border

(Newser) -
Ukraine has ordered all of its troops to evacuate from Crimea starting at 3pm today, after Russia seized one of its last remaining military installations in the peninsula. Russian forces seized the marine base after attacking from two directions early this morning using armored personnel carriers and stun grenades, a...
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Romania's president: Other Eastern-European countries are next

(Newser) -
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree today recognizing Crimea as a "sovereign and independent country," hours after the strategic Black Sea peninsula declared it had broken from Ukraine and would merge with Russia following a weekend referendum. The moves triggered the toughest Western sanctions against Russia since...
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Law makes chemical procedure mandatory for convicted abusers

(Newser) -
Men convicted of sexually abusing children in Moldova will now face chemical castration. The eastern European country's parliament voted to make the treatment—which suppresses libido with injections every three months—mandatory for all Moldovans and foreigners found guilty of pedophilia, reports the BBC .
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Priest may face charges over 6-month-old's death

(Newser) -
A priest who accidentally drowned a baby boy as he baptized him in Moldova may face manslaughter charges. Witnesses said the priest failed to cover the 6-week-old's mouth and nose as he immersed him in water, the Daily Mail reports. The baby suffered breathing difficulties afterward and died 20 minutes...
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Journalist fears arrest for role in anti-Communist protest

(Newser) -
The journalist who used Twitter to organize last week's mass protests in Moldova has gone into hiding for fear of arrest. Journalist Natalia Morar, 25, told the Guardian she is avoiding telephones and the Internet in case the same tools she used to rally supporters are used against her by...
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EU accused of plotting pro-Romania coup

(Newser) -
The escalating crisis in Moldova is threatening to sour Russia's relations with the West once again, reports the Independent. Russia is siding with the Moldovan government in its accusations that the anti-Communist protests—organized by pro-EU youth mobilizing with the help of Twitter updates—are part of a coup attempt...
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Moldovan youth use social networking to mobilize against election result

(Newser) -
Thousands of young Moldovans have been using Twitter and other social networking sites to mobilize against the Communist Party's election victory, the New York Times reports. A crowd of some10,000 young activists, accusing the government of vote-rigging in Sunday's race, clashed with riot police outside the country's parliament yesterday,...
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